Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-05-18


mountains. / can assure you, at any
rate, of a royal time when you are with
me. l can hardly say how disappointed
| will be if you are unable to come.
Please telegraph if you will come. Very
gratefully yours, EDWARD DAVIES.
Here was a holiday, but it was even
more delightful to be remembers in
this kind of way. What pleasant
feeling this unexpected letter gave me
OF course 1 telegraphed my acceptance
of Mr.. Davies offer.
Two or three weeks later took the
western train from Winnipeg, sped past
Portage In Prairie, lying amid its yellow.
ing wheat fields; on across the long,
green levels of the plains, with settlers
huts rising here and there, through the
sandhill country, with its stunted trees
ard marShy hollows; along the valleys
of Assinidolne, where Brandon stands;
on TO Regina, and on and on westward
for a couple of days, till we come to the
land of streams and mighty pastures,
and could almost persuade ourselves
that we could see the far-off blue of the
Rockies, and Calgary was reached.
1lClC JANUS, Ills
son and two other young ranchmen met
me, all determined to show every atten-
ton possible to the ''parson." We spent
night in Calgary, stirring town of
the true western type, with its own
local coloring in cowboys and miners
and railroad men. Early next morning
we set out for Mans ranch, as Thomp-
son called his place, drive of some
seventy miles. Davies and l had 4
blackboard, and the others were OH
horseback. During the day and half
we were travelling, Davies gave me an
account of what had happened since |
had seen him last. He was in high
spirits, as was natural. How he enjoyed
life! He spoke of the freedom and
healthfulness of the plains; then of the
money that was being made out OF the
great herds. He was now partner of
Thompson's; an uncle had left him some
money, and he had 'chipped in with
Jim," as he expressed it. Yes, they
were doing very well. He had built a
house i'll the spring-ah, yes, he was
engaged before that, he said, with a
happy look on his sun-tanned face.
Then the young lady he was going to
marry-what a wonderful and gracious,
little woman she wasl English, like
himself, he said; but devoted to Canada.
lie said so many pretty things about
this sweetheart of hisl If the converse
tion was inclined to flag about the cat
tie and the country, a word about the
girl and off he went like sky-rocket.
Next day the marriage took place In
Jim Thompson's house; there was a
table for an altar, and 4 couple of cush-
ions for the bride and bridegroom TO
kneel on, and few chairs for the
others in big room which certainly
had never been used for such purpose
before. The tride had arrived late the
previous evening, and SO | did not see
her until she came up to the improylSed
altar. Lo, it was my Dresden picture!
| recognized her at once, but | think
she had forgotten me. After the SER
vices was over and had made the pair
my congratulations, | whispered to her
that was glad to see that she had
found her mission. She smiled and
said that she knew me now. Had she
not met me in Winnipeg two years ago!
Shortly afterward, she told me, she hau
gone out to Fort Macleod.
What a scene to be remembered was
the bridal feastl The whole-soul enjoy
ment. the genuine, light-hearted laugh
ter of these young fellows-there we're
troops of them from many a distant
ranch, who had come to ''see Ned
through" How attentively they wait
ed on the young ladies that were pres
ent! What a bright spot in ones memo
ries is all thisl
When proposed the brides health
how they manage to get champagne IN
these northwestern territories, notwith-
standing the prohibitory legislation, it
is not for me to say-I alluded, but very
slightly, to the chain of curious coinci-
dences | have recorded under the name
of Meeting Streams.